


Cat Got Your Tongue?

by silquefaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Comedy, Fluff, Gen, really really tiny amount of hinted ashe/felix sorry i just couldn't help myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21795258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silquefaye/pseuds/silquefaye
Summary: Ashe and Felix are hiding something, and Dimitri feels as though he has no choice to find out what- against Dedue's discretion.Gift for altoverse for FE3H Holiday Exhange! Hope you enjoy!
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31
Collections: FE3H Holiday Gift Exchange





	Cat Got Your Tongue?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [altoverse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoverse/gifts).



Felix and Ashe are hiding something. 

Well- if the hushed whispers, notes scribbled on scraps of paper, and a glimpse of them running around a corner only to disappear mean anything, it means they have a secret. Felix even sat beside Ashe one Tuesday morning, leaving Sylvain on his own. 

(Sylvain laughed and joked about it for the first few days, but two weeks in and he’s devolved to sullen pouting and dejected frowns directed at Felix. The one day he said it felt like Felix was cheating on him, he got a broken nose from a textbook hitting him so hard he fell off the bench.)

Though, even with Felix figuratively reducing their tentative and unofficial seating chart to ash, Dimitri’s almost positive he’s the only one who’s noticed anything amiss. 

This, is possibly the most surprising part of this whole ordeal.

“I can’t imagine what they could be hiding, Dedue. Do you think- no they couldn’t be…”

Dedue looks up from the plants he was tending to- primroses, Dimitri thinks, but he can’t be sure- and fixes him with a blank expression. “Do I think they could be what, Milord?”

“Do you think it’s possible that they’re plotting something… nefarious?”

Dedue blinks. Opens his mouth. Snaps it shut again. 

“Nefarious, Your Highness?”

“W-Well you never know Dedue!” Dimitri replies, face heating up at Dedue’s reaction. The notion was quite foolish, Dimitri could admit. Especially when taking Ashe’s earnest nature and Felix’s unbridled loyalty (one, which if he were called out on, he would refuse profusely) into account. 

Dedue hums, turning back to his plants. Dimitri’s face is burning by this point. 

“It was just a simple theory, Dedue! I didn’t truly believe Ashe and Felix and convening to discuss the downfall of Faergus or the Church or something of that ilk. Truly!”

Dedue looks back up at Dimitri and quirks an eyebrow. “You seem to have put a lot of thought into a theory you claim you’re not particularly invested in, my Prince.”

“Dedue please! It was the first idea that came to my head.”

Dedue hums again, deciding to take mercy of Dimitri’s poor heart. 

“Have you considered they have simply become closer as friends? And that they’re spending more time together as a result?”

Dimitri sighs. “I have thought of that, believe me.” He brushes some dirt off the brick edge of the flowerbed and perches on it, glancing at Dedue, who has once again returned to his plants. “And while that would explain their closeness, it doesn’t explain the suddenness of it _or_ the need for all the secrecy.”

Dedue hums, again, and takes a moment to mull over Dimitri’s words before shattering his entire worldview. 

“Then, perhaps, they could be courting one another.”

Dimitri freezes, feeling all the warmth leaving his body, tension building up in his body before he springs up again, face hotter than the sweltering heats of Aillell. 

“What?” He asks, incredulous. 

Dedue still does not deign to regard him. “It’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility, Your Highness. Especially considering the fact that Felix has never willinging spent so much time with anyone.”

Dedue’s deduction… made a frightening amount of sense. In the time that Dedue’s known him, it’s been rare that Felix would seek someone out, discounting the times he was in search for a sparring partner. So to see him spend so much time with Ashe of his own volition is certainly jarring. 

Not to mention this would explain their secrecy. 

While uncommon, it’s not frowned upon in Faergus for two men to be wed in certain social circles. Though with Felix’s position as heir to House Fraldarius and an eventual need for him to have crest-bearing heirs, a relationship with Ashe, a commoner in the eyes of many, with no crest, and unable to provide Felix with an heir, already has its ending written.

The thought of Felix- Felix, who turned his back on a world determined to strip everything away from, and in the process, all those who cared for him- actively becoming romantically involved with someone is jarring, to say the least. Especially with the inevitable end in sight in which his duties to his kingdom overshadow this one small act of selfishness.

But Dimitri’s mind drifts to the small smile on Felix’s face as Ashe grabs his arm and pulls him around a corner, and he knows that this is something to protect while he can. 

“Of course, there’s a strong possibility that I’m wrong, and their need for secrecy is something yet unbeknownst to us”, Dedue muses, breaking Dimitri out of his stupor. “It would be… _unwise_ of us to jump to such conclusions. 

Dimitri, feeling much like he did as a child when Gustave would scold him, squirms and mutters, “Of course, Dedue.”

Still, the fact remained that there was _something_ going on between Ashe and Felix, and Dimitri felt as though he had no choice but to find out what.

**Xx**

With Dedue’s disapproving stares anytime Dimitri attempts to broach the topic, Dimitri comes to an understanding, with terrible, heart wrenching clarity, that he is alone in this. 

While Dedue pointed out how presumptuous it was for them to assume Ashe and Felix are courting one another, Dimitri cannot fathom what else would require such secrecy. And with such a potentially delicate and volatile topic at hand, Dimitri knows the less people who know, the better. 

Thus, it’s up to Dimitri alone to uncover the truth.

Dimitri considers his options. While following Ashe and Felix when they disappear to Goddess-knows-where would probably be the quickest way to prove his suspicions, Dimitri is hardly agile or sly enough to go undiscovered by either of them, and facing Felix’s wrath is the last thing Dimitri wants. 

No, Dimitri’s best option is a direct approach. But of course, trying to get answers out of Felix, however discreet, is no better than planning his own execution. The only one Dimitri can dream of getting an answer from is Ashe. 

Which brings him to now, after class just as Ashe is gathering his books and making his way towards the door. 

“Ashe!” Dimitri calls after him, still piling up his own books. 

Ashe yelps and jumps, dropping his books. He sputters then, diving down to the floor to gather them all up again before Dimitri has a chance to help. 

“Your Highness! How can I help you?” Ashe says, leaping back up, a shade of pink adorning his cheeks that’s so loud Dimitri can’t seen his freckles through it. 

“Oh I was simply wondering if you would care to spar with me. I overheard you were training with lances and thought I could offer my assistance.”

Ashe beams at him and agrees easily, never one to turn down an opportunity to improve himself. 

The training grounds are, mercifully, deserted for once when they arrive, giving Dimitri some more confidence in what he’s about to do. 

Sparring, for the most part, goes surprisingly well. Dimitri’s getting better at holding back his strength and Ashe proves more adept with a lance than first thought, parrying Dimitri’s blows. All Dimitri needs is a moment during a short break to breach the topic of Felix, and his plan will go off without a hitch.

That is, until Dimitri’s stance slips, and he swings just a might too hard, and his lance breaks, and Ashe’s lance breaks, and Ashe gets thrown back to the ground by the force of it all. 

“Apologies Ashe, I should have taken more care,” Dimitri says, holding out a hand for Ashe to take. “Are you alright?”

Ashe hums for a moment, rolling the shoulder he fell on and winces. “I think I might need Manuela to look at my shoulder, but I doubt you did any permanent damage, so you shouldn’t worry yourself, Your Highness!” Ashe replies, as if he could sense the guilt building up in the bottom of Dimitri’s stomach. 

“A-and injury or no, I’m still glad to be able to spend some time with you, Your Highness.”

Dimitri’s eyes widen, as he sees this golden opportunity laid out before him, so bright and obvious even he can’t miss it.

“As am I. We haven’t spent much time together as of late, but I’ve noticed you and Felix have.”

“You have?” Ashe asks, suddenly very interested in Dimitri’s boots. A small smile finds its way onto Ashe’s face, his eyes softening and posture relaxing. Not by much, but enough that Dimitri notices. 

Well, Dimitri can’t _wait_ to see the look on Dedue’s face.

“Yes, but don’t worry. I haven’t spoken of it with anyone but Dedue. Your secret is safe with me.”

Ashe looks back up at him, mint green eyes meeting clear blue, and for a moment Dimitri understands why Felix chooses to spend so much time with Ashe. 

“You do? And you’re not mad?” Ashe worries his bottom lip as Dimitri lets out a soft sigh and places a hand on Ashe’s shoulder, squeezing gently. 

“Ashe, why would you think I would be mad? What you and Felix have, that’s perfectly natural- beautiful even. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Dimitri places his other hand on Ashe’s other shoulder, smiling down at him. 

Ashe’s eyebrows scrunch up, and he tilts his head to the side. “Thank you for your… kindness, Your Highness. But what we’re doing is against school rules, so I’m not sure I follow why we shouldn’t be ashamed.”

It’s Dimitri’s turn to be confused. “I wasn’t aware that there were any rules entailing students courting each other.”

Ashe freezes. 

“Courting?” He whispers, face so blank and unreadable it sends chills down Dimitri’s spine. 

“Yes. You and Felix,” Dimitri replies, nodding to himself. “That’s why you felt the need to sneak around the monastery, correct?”

Ashe leaps out of Dimitri’s grasp and stumbles backwards, hands flying to his crimson face. “ _Courting?”_

Oh dear.

“Forgive me! I obviously misjudged your relationship. I didn’t mean any offense, not that there _is_ anything shameful about two men-” Dimitri begins, words stuttering out of his mouth before he can think them over, only to be cut off by Ashe shaking his head, hands still on his face.

“I-It’s fine Your Highness! I should apologise for making such a scene-- If you’ll excuse me!” Ashe says, voice cracking at the end. He turns on his heels and runs out of the training grounds while Dimitri’s brain is still catching up. 

_Oh dear._

**Xx**

Later, when Dimitri traipses back to his room, he’s stopped in his tracks by a worrying thought.

If Ashe and Felix aren’t courting each other, what are they doing? And what rules are they breaking?

**Xx**

Dimtri chooses to keep his conversation with Ashe to himself. Even with no knowledge of what happened yesterday, Dedue still sideyes him when he sits down in class that morning. Dimitri feels like he’s overheating under his collar. 

When Ashe enters the classroom, he looks anywhere but at Dimitri. Dimitri looks anywhere but at Ashe. 

It’s not until the end of the day, when Dimitri is packing up and wondering if it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, that he’s faced with the dire consequences of his misstep. 

There’s a large thud on his desk, rattling the entire frame. When Dimitri looks up from his bag, he’s met with Felix’s enraged expression, hands planted on the desk either side of Dimitri. 

“Boar,” Felix snarls. 

In a moment of petulant childishness, the same that sometimes makes Dimitri wish he was twelve again and someone would just hold him, Dimitri thinks that absolutely none of this is fair. 

“Ah. Felix,” Dimitri says, staring at Felix’s nose. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Felix hisses, leaning into Dimitri’s space. Dimitri leans back as far as he can, which is less than an inch. 

Idly, as Dimitri gazes at Felix plotting his murder, he wonders what Dedue, who’s standing less than a metre away, makes of all this.

“Apologies Felix, I meant no ill will! I just-”

“How about you _just_ mind your own business?” Felix snaps, before pulling away and stalking out of the room without another word. 

Dimitri sits, frozen in shock, as Dedue gathers his things. 

“Dedue?”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Please don’t say anything.”

“I didn’t intend to. Frankly, I have nothing to say that you don’t already know, my Prince.”

That, somehow, makes it all the worse.

**Xx**

After dinner, Dimitri makes his way to Ashe’s room. The guilt is eating away at him too much. 

“Ashe?” He calls out, knocking on the door. “I came to apologise for the spectacle I made of you yesterday- and for sticking my nose in your private affairs.”

Through the door he hears whispering, panicked and frantic. 

“Ashe?” Dimitri calls out again. His hand finds purchase on the door knob, and upon realising it’s unlocked, opens to door, only to to greet by yelling and screaming and-

A cat bounding over to his feet. 

Dimitri blinks down at the cat, who meows and sits by his boot, content to groom itself. 

He then looks up to find Ashe, whose face has lost all its colour, and Felix, whose face is a startling scarlet, both of whom are holding kittens.

Dimitri closes his eyes. Maybe, when he opens them this time, he’ll be back in his bed. 

When he does open his eyes, it’s to the view of Felix running past him and slamming the door shut, and Ashe gathering all the remaining kittens in his arms. 

“ _You!”_ Felix snarls, but it’s far less intimidating when his face is the same shade as a beetroot and there’s a cat rubbing itself against his leg and purring. 

“I- _Why?”_ Dimitri asks eventually, turning his attention to Ashe. 

“Their mother was sick! And she had just had such a big litter! We had no choice but to take care of them!” Ashe exclaims, with a certain ease that comes from practicing something in a mirror one too many times.

Dimitri takes a moment to survey the room. The bowls of food and water, the litter of kittens circling around their feet, another cat on Ashe’s bed, Felix hunched against the wall, scarlet face in hand, and Ashe looking like he’s on trial for murder. 

Dimitri finds solace in the fact Dedue will more than likely be just as surprised as he is. 

“... So This is what you’ve been doing?” Dimtri asks, voice hoarse. 

Ashe nods, looking back down at the kittens. 

“It would’ve been wrong of us to leave them to die, Your-”

“If you say _anything_ about this, I swear I’ll-”

Dimitri holds up a hand to silence them both. The silence hangs between them. One of the kittens bites its tail too hard and yelps. 

“Ashe please, I understand why you both felt the need to break school rules. Frankly, I would have done the same. And Felix, don’t worry, I won’t speak a word of this to anyone. In fact…”

Dimitri pauses to guide one of the kittens back into the direct of its siblings. It’s a bit difficult doing so without grabbing it, but Dimitri doesn’t trust his own strength with something so small. 

“I would like to give my assistance.”

**Xx**

The next day, Dimitri can’t stop smiling as he writes down notes from the professor’s lecture. Dedue keeps shooting him both concerned and exasperated glances. While his conviction to help Ashe and Felix is just as strong as it was yesterday, Dimitri doubts his own ability to keep it from Dedue. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Dedue with this secret, in fact if he knew Dedue would probably be more than glad to help too. But he did give his word to Felix that he wouldn’t tell anyone else, and that includes Dedue.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Dedue’s not suspicious.

When the professor dismisses them, Dedue stands at attention as Dimitri gathers his things. This may be harder than Dimitri initially thought. 

“Ah, Dedue, please go on ahead. I promised Ashe I’d spar with him today. He’s getting much better with wielding a lance you know.”

Dedue hums. “Yes, he mentioned to me how much he had improved thanks to you the other day. Well I suppose I’ll leave the two of you to train in peace, if you need me I’ll be in the greenhouse.”

Dimitri nods and smiles, maybe just a bit too wide. “Of course Dedue, I’ll see you at dinner.”

Dedue smiles back and nods, walking out of the classroom. 

That was much too easy for Dimitri’s liking.

**Xx**

Felix wrinkles his nose as Dimitri takes the lid off the small wicker basket, the smell of fish wafting through Ashe’s room. 

“I don’t know how you can live with that stench,” Felix drawls as the kittens all run towards the fish. 

Ashe shrugs. “It’s not all that bad, my parents’ restaurant used to smell more or less the same when it was fishing season.”

“I don’t think it’s too bad,” Dimitri says, only for Felix to huff. 

Ashe snorts at Felix’s reaction. “Well at least thanks to His Highness you don’t have to try to fish anymore, or carry the food around.”

Dimitri’s eyes widen. “You tried to fish?”

“How about both of you mind your own business?” Felix snaps. Ashe only chuckles. 

“But really, Your Highness, I’d really like to thank for all the help you’ve given us over the past week. I’m not too sure how Felix and I managed to take care of so many kittens on our own up till now.”

Felix huffs again, but says nothing. He’s a lot more well-behaved around Ashe, Dimitri muses. If it had just been him and Felix alone, Felix would probably be long gone by now.

“It’s no problem at all, really. In fact I’ve quite enjoyed taking care of them.”

Ashe hums. He reaches out with one hand, and two of the kittens waddle towards him, mewling and butting their heads against his hand. “They’re cute, aren’t they?” Ashe remarks, voice soft and sweet.

Dimitri finds himself smiling. “I think I’d have to agree.”

He chances a glance in Felix’s direction, who’s now curled in on himself, knees to his chest and arms around his legs. He’s hiding most of his face behind his knees, but Dimitri can see his eyes are focused squarely on Ashe. He probably agrees with Dimitri for once. 

It’s then that one of the other kittens bounds over to Dimitri and pounces at his leg. Well, it’s more akin to standing up on its hind legs for a moment and falling over on to Dimitri’s knee, but it’s endearing nonetheless.

He reaches out to scratch its head, but hesitates at the last moment. It’s better safe than sorry. 

Ashe tilts his head. “You haven’t pet one yet?”

“Ah, uhm,” Dimitri starts. “I’m unsure of my strength. They’re all so small and delicate, I wouldn’t want to hurt it.”

Felix looks up at Dimitri and rolls his eyes. “Relax Boar, you’re not gonna crush it.”

“Felix!” Ashe reprimands. “Have some respect for his Highness’ concerns.”

“I’m not going to show him sympathy for something so stu-”

“It’s not stupid! Why’s it so hard to show some compassion? When we ran into the kitten’s mother the first time, it was _you_ who-”

“Shut up! That’s different!”

“How is it any different? I mean-”

Mercifully, their argument is interrupted by the professor opening Ashe’s door. 

Wait.

All three stare at Professor Byleth, who’s standing stock-still in the doorway, bundle of papers in hand. 

“Oh dear,” Ashe whispers. Once again, Dimitri can’t help but agree. 

**Xx**

Dedue sits down silently beside Dimitri the next morning and Dimitri has never felt more ashamed in his live. 

“Don’t say anything, please,” Dimitri whines into his hands. 

“Once again, Your Highness, I doubt there’s anything I could say that you don’t already know.”

Dimitri sighs, resigning himself to the fact that he may never truly redeem himself in Dedue’s eyes. 

When Ashe walks into the classroom, he drags his feet to his seat, and slumps over his desk. Dimitri guesses he misses sleeping beside a bundle of kittens. 

Felix strides into the classroom soon after, deigning not to spare Dimitri even a glance. He looks over at his old seat, beside Sylvain, before this whole ordeal started. 

It’s almost unsettling to think about, the fact that when Felix takes his own seat, it will seem like this whole ordeal never happened- no damage done, nothing left behind. Or that’s how it feels to Dimitri anyway. 

Dimitri almost chokes on his own spit when Felix turns away from his seat and dumps his book beside Ashe, whispering something to him as he sits down. Ashe chuckles, entire face lighting up. 

_Oh._

Dimitri turns to face Dedue and hisses “Dedue, you don’t think-”

“Your Highness, I’m _begging_ you. Please.”

Dimitri turns back to the front of the classroom. “Fine, I’ve learnt to leave well enough alone when it comes to Felix.”

Dedue exhales a small smile of relief, and Dimitri thinks this is the most embarrassed he’s felt in years. 

**Author's Note:**

> ngl this was one of my first times writing the dimitri and dedue Dynamic and sometimes it comes off very chrom and frederick but we'll work on it :)
> 
> [tumblr](https://silquefaye.tumblr.com/)/[twitter](https://twitter.com/silquefaye)


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